Archive for August, 2006

technique was innovative at time – only the feeling has lasted

When I completed this in 2005, I was really ecstatic about the way I created depth in the cloud. The technique was innovative for me and I felt I had almost expressed the incredible size and power of the cloud.

One can’t duplicate nature; but one can pay tribute and perhaps create something worthy in its own right.

There is something almost black and white about this piece. The smaller round mountain was glowing despite the overcast day – a phenomena I love here – but still the world looks grey – and it was.

I have an art print of this framed 28 x 36 inches with an image size of 23.5 inches by 31 inches – there was a minor imperfection at the printer’s so I have an extra. I am generally a color person – so it is not my all time favorite – but it still has the quality of that grey day and the hope of a glowing mountain despite it.

balancing impression and intention with work itself

For me art is a give and take process. I had seen a strawberry picker in a similar posture – holding an empty flat and I wanted to capture that impression.

I created a backdrop – a non-specific but nevertheless somewhat accurate view of the Salinas Valley.

When I started I was expecting a larger figure and less background – but the painting pushed me in certain directions.

I may very well approach this theme again – to create something more iconic – but I actually find this image very pleasing and enjoy looking at it. I like the way my eye travels down to the other field worker and how it feels like the man holding the flat is on the verge of, if not already, moving down to join him.

See Also

Salinas Valley – VR Panaramas
360 degree views of this area – different sort of tour – San Miguel mission is closed from earthquake damage – so a treat to see in this format

influence and innovation of the master

Last night I had the pleasure of watching a program on PBS about Paul Cezanne. In the show, Picasso was quoted as saying Cezanne was the "father of us all".

Cezanne was his own man – he painted as he felt he should and did not believe in blindly following the style of his time. His work is impressionistic but slips into abstraction before anyone else even thought to see that way.

Cezanne has always been one of my favorites – how could he not be? There are plenty of places to buy an art print reproduction of Paul Cezanne’s on the net and elsewhere.

On the other hand, it is also possible to buy original art prints – affordable due to digital painting – and though not a now tried and true classic – perhaps innovative in the same way as Paul Cezanne was – at least it is my intent to follow my own path.

jazz painting – better heard, not seen

I had intended on entering this piece in a local competition for jazz art that is going on this week in an anticipation of the Monterey Jazz Festival.

But I didn’t pay close attention to the date it needed to be dropped off and such is life – another missed deadline – and another "what if" I don’t need to really trouble myself over. It wasn’t really that important or I would have made certain.

But – since I can’t share it in Seaside – I figured I would post it again today and maybe share it that way. And perhaps some other time in a different show – I will set it up to be seen…

breaking the rules of visual sense

Funny I should want to write about this piece as an art print … because I have yet to see it printed at optimum size. I can see sections of it at the proper size on my computer monitor – but not the whole piece at once.

It is, however, quite wonderful even printed at 13 x19". I like the piece because it wasn’t about rules – the yellow and orange sky – just seemed right – the chaotic feeling to the land and dirt – didn’t have to make complete visual sense – it just worked.

On top of it – the statement – which I recall clearly at the time – the tractor driver I had never seen waving hello while my neighbors who I did know, ignored me from even closer.

depth of field, workers, limited exposure, and time constraints

There is a lot of activity in the fields these days – too much to really capture. What I like about this piece is how the line of workers are being swallowed by the field.

For the record is was a field of immature romaine lettuce. What was also interesting about what I viewed was that despite the short visibility due to fog, you could still get a good sense of the depth of this field.

Those were the things I concentrated on conveying when I created this digital painting. The figures are simple, but then I only got a glimpse of them driving by – and time constraints made me need and want to create this more like a sketch.

first digitally painted sunset – abstract, brilliant, lasting

It is interesting – when I created this piece, I thought I had said what needed to be said about a sunset. I had built this incredible show – out of almost tissue like overlapping transparencies.

The image is rather abstract but nevertheless looking unmistakably like a brilliant sunset. The multiple hills are like the land here, but in a way not so much seen as felt and the clouds crescendo towards the sky.

I was not bashful with color and Sunset has remained a strong piece even though my sunsets since are more sophisticated.